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GETTING THERE: Remnants of the Oregon Trail can be traced from Nyssa, 40 miles from the Idaho border.

If you are coming from outside Oregon, the quickest way to reach Nyssa is by flying to Boise, Idaho and renting a car. From there, you can drive across Oregon, stopping at various sites that show either remnants of the trail or have interpretative centers.

SITES TO SEE: In Baker City, the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center offers audio, video, dioramas, and artifacts to re-create the experiences of Oregon Trail emigrants. In La Grande, the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center overlooks a portion of the Oregon Trail known as the Blue Mountain Crossing, as it climbs through the rugged Blue Mountains. Oregon City in the Willamette Valley is home to the End Of The Oregon Trail interpretive center, which explores the history of the Pacific Northwest -- from the first fur traders to the coming of the railroads that ended the era of the overland trails.

WEATHER: Spring and fall are ideal times to trace the Oregon Trail. Summer is also a good time of the year, but temperatures can surpass 90 degrees in the high desert region east of the Cascades. Roads east and west of the Cascades can get snowy and icy during the winter.

INFORMATION:

End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Oregon City. Phone (503) 657-9336.

http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/

Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Blue Mountain Crossing, in La Grande Ranger district. Phone (541) 963-7186.

The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City. Phone (541) 523-1843. http://www.or.blm.gov/NHOTIC/